Tall Clover Farm

Fortex: Best Mess of Green Beans Growing

Growing Vegetables

Tom

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January 23, 2010

Fortex: Best Mess of Green Beans Growing

Now that I’ve got you thinking about seed catalogs let me provide you with Tom’s two cents on some of the prizes found on the pages within. Indulge me as I wax on about my favorite pole green bean, a French filet or haricot vert variety called Fortex.

Even with a name that seems better suited to the drug store aisle, Fortex outshines all other beans in my vegetable garden and on my plate. I may plant other varieties, but Fortex is the green bean I eat. Some of the reasons I grow Fortex Green Beans:

vigorous, productive vines
I prefer pole beans (trellising required)
exceptional green bean flavor
pods are exceptionally long
completely stringless
beans are delicious at any size
freeze well too, if you have any left after the growning season.

I forgot to mention they’re Boz’s favorite green bean as well. (Gracie prefers peas.)

Seed sources: Johnny’s Seeds, Territorial Seed Company, Burpee, Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Lesson Learned: Fogged-Up Windows = Flooded Basement

Home Sweet Home

Tom

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January 16, 2010

12

Today’s Proverb: He who has fogged-up windows, should check the basement.

I woke up this morning on the coattails of a knock-down cold, and thought, “That’s odd, the windows are all steamed up.” Perhaps it was the Nyquil numbing me, but I thought no further of it. I then noticed that the same was true in the bathroom, and then again on the staircase. It was foggy outside, so I thought the household humidity level was just weather related. An hour into coffee sipping, dog pampering and waking up, I noticed my kitchen windows were dripping with rivulets of condensation. The downstairs is heated; the upstairs is not. This made no sense; it was a balmy 62 degrees in my kitchen nook. And like the Home Alone kid with palms pressed to my face, I let out a wale (and a few expletives for good measure). It hit me; moisture rises, check the basement. 2010_01_16_blog2_flooded_basement 006 I opened the basement door to a shimmering wonderland of wetness. Esther Williams and a parcel of penguins would have been happy with my underground cement pond–water crystal clear and floating foreign objects few but recognizable. (So that’s where all of my gardening gloves went.) If my high school geometry recollection was correct (volume in gallons = width x heighth x depth x 7.841 gallons per cubic foot), I was sitting atop 1292 gallons of water. Steamy windows, indeed.

So, if you have a sump pump in your basement, make sure the little floater ball that trips the pump into operation is not perceived to be a chew toy by your curious bulldog. Or if you’re a really smart home and dog owner, you’ll return the protective grill over the pump pit to keep this from happening in the first place.

Boz_on_chair Boz, who chooses the finest chairs for his time-out, is unavailable for comment. My time-out starts later, once the basement is dry.

The Best Seed Catalogs:
Eye Candy & Hope for the Gardener

Growing Vegetables

Tom

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January 10, 2010

24

The Best Seed Catalogs: <br>Eye Candy & Hope for the Gardener

My Favorite Seed Catalogs

When friends ask, “So Tom, what are you reading these days?” I have to skirt the truth. I cite something I’ve read before or some nonfiction tome that brings this line of questioning to a speedy halt. Truth be told, I do read regularly; it’s just my books of choice are seed catalogs. (Ah, there I said it.)

Who has time for Chabon, King, Christie or Crichton, when the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog is fresh from the mailbox? Am I really expected to trudge through Tolstoy, when FEDCO Co-op Garden Supplies catalog is burning a hole on my coffee table?

What’s so great about seed catalogs, you ask? (Now who’s the heathen?) For starters, whether homey, slick, sketched or art directed to death, seed and plant catalogs are aspirational and chocked full of promise, just like the seeds sold on each page. They arrive at time when every plant in my garden looks like it spent the last month in my fridge sealed up in a salad spinner. Hope springs eternal when the first of the seed catalogs clutter my counter.

From my porch, I see a large plot of land carpeted in winter weeds, screaming to be saved, to be resurrected into something beautiful, something edible and something that doesn’t have a taproot to China. (Hat tip to my favorite weed: Scotch Broom)

So should you put down Mr. Dan Brown’s latest long enough to imagine the possibilities that inch along, grow and celebrate the world outside your very door, I suggest the following editions as the vehicles to get you there.Baker Creek Heirloom Seed: With over 1400 heirloom seeds available, and photos that I swear were taken by an out-of-work pin-up photographer, Baker Creek tops my list of seed catalogs that make you salivate. As much coffee table book as catalog, there is not a page portrayed that is not ripe with the passion of growing great things. 2010_01_01_blog_fedco FEDCO: For everything the Baker Creek catalog is, FEDCO is not. And therein lies its charm and power to woo you; it looks, feels and reads like some dog-eared treasure found in an a dusty attic chest. Sketches, vintage etchings, descriptions, expert advice and humor are replete on each page in a chockablock fashion that compels you to make sure you didn’t miss a thing.Pinetree Garden Seeds: Here’s another great seed seller who gives you the opportunity to buy smaller quantities at lower prices. I like to grow a lot of varieties, so this affords me greater range in the garden and on the table. The catalog also has a seed section for Asian, French, Italian, Middle Eastern, and Latin-American vegetables as well as dyeing and medicinal herbs.

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog is a fine little work of art with Beatrix-Potter-like paintings of vegetables suitable for framing or the warren of Peter Rabbit. You’ll find great descriptions, fine variety and seed amounts clearly shown. And if you’re a flower fanatic, wait until fall and be blown away by their bulb catalog: Beauty from Bulbs.Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit, member-supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds. They do great work and their catalog and website are first rate, offering plant diversity rarely seen in other catalogs.Territorial Seeds is the mainstay of the Pacific Northwest gardener and grower, a catalog that covers an amazing array of seeds tested in a climate where cloudy skies outnumber clear.

Le Jardin du Gourmet is a seed catalog on a shoestring, but don’t let that fool you. As a loyal fan, I like their seeds because they have really cheap packets of small seed quantities. So if I want to try new varieties out, I can without breaking the bank. I mean who really needs 1,000 chard seeds. Packet prices range from 35 cents to $1.00 and they have exceptional shallot sets.Boz, is giving me the look, “Put down the catalog and take Gracie and me on a walk.” I have plenty more catalog recommendations, but Boz is right; no rain, time for a walk. Besides, I don’t want to be responsible for helping you get nothing done between now and next month.

Tell me, what are your favorite seed and gardening catalogs?

More Great Seed Catalogs:

What I was blogging about a year ago: Art Forged in the Everyday: Train Rails Reborn as Andirons

Day One of the New Year: So Far, So Good

Celebrations

Tom

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January 1, 2010

18

Day One of the New Year: So Far, So Good

The new year has arrived and my slate is clean. I’m good as gold. After being up for an hour or two with some strong brew under my belt, hope still abounds, promise peeks through the window, and discovery is available on demand. I must confess some friends don’t share my sentiment, seeing the date as just that and eschewing the holiday as merely an excuse to plant sloppy kisses on attractive strangers (I have no idea what they’re talking about.) while testing the boundaries of decorum. (Again, I have no idea of what they speak.)

For me, New Year’s Day is one big, wonderful metaphor

It’s new-fallen snow, unmarred by footprint, twig or ash.
It’s clean sheets, and sun-dried laundry.
It’s a countertop full of homegrown goodness ready to be baked into a pie.
It’s a lily bulb that in hand is dry and seemingly dead, but once planted erupts in petals and perfume.
It’s walk down a path that unveils little secrets along the way, should you have the eyes or desire to see them.

I could go on, but I fear my list is turning into a Rodgers and Hammerstein score (i.e., raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens). Perhaps my point is the new year is less about the date and more about the person. The hope, promise and discovery I see today will always be there. It is my role to embrace them and make them a part of my day everyday.

Now if you’re suffering from renal failure due to the saccharin sweetness of the my Pollyanna post, I get it. Two days from now I will resume my one-and-half-hour round-trip commute in the dark, and become a prisoner to tasks and takers, but for now, two bulldogs snore by me on the sofa, the coffee is strong, a fire crackles and a blackberry pie browns and bubbles nicely in the oven. So for today, I wish you all Happy New Year. May we keep its magic alive as long as we can.

What the Heck’s a Medlar?

Growing Fruit

Tom

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December 28, 2009

6

Medlar (Mespilus germanica) is a fruit you won’t likely see in the produce aisle of your local grocery. A mainstay of medieval French and English gardens, the medlar’s mere appearance suggests (and rightfully so) that it is something special. I was smitten the first time I saw the tree, which was on a walk through the University of Washington Arboretum in Seattle.

A well-behaved tree of small to moderate size, it delivers on all counts: flowers, fruit and fall foliage, much like another favorite of mine, the fruiting quince. The fruit hangs on the tree like nodding caramels, remaining well after leaf drop.

Pick the fruit after the fist big chill or frost as it needs to blet or soften before eating, otherwise it’s bit astringent, like an unripe fuyu persimmon. The pulp ripens to an almost applesauce consistency, and oddly enough that’s what it tastes like.

It’s funny little fruit, one that will never replace apple, pear or plum, but one that is much more entertaining when watching the uninitiated (and brave) take their first bite.

Related Resources:

Forgotten Flavors: Memories of Medlar
Nursery sources: One Green World, Burnt Ridge Nursery
Medlar Tree image (I will add a photo of mine when foilage returns.)

What I was blogging about one year ago:

Shaker Lemon Pie Recipe: Sweet, Sour, Delicious

Recipes

Tom

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December 23, 2009

36

Shaker Lemon Pie Recipe: Sweet, Sour, Delicious

Shaker Lemon Pie Recipe: Winter’s Best Pie!

I came across this lemon pie with a twist years ago after reading an article in Saveur magazine: The Shaker Table. The resulting pie was simple, with an authenticity one would expect from anything created by the Shakers. I love the fact that such a spare recipe can have such delicious results–all with the basics of the farm: eggs, butter, sugar and lemons.

Lemons on the farm? Yep, I grow them on Vashon. Potted and placed in front of a south facing room between November and March, they bloom beautifully and produce nicley. By March, they find a place in the summer garden.

I couldn’t find my rolling pin (no surprise there), so I enlisted a bottle of port to take its place. (Baking has its own rewards.)

The crust for this pie is buttery and flaky, and not too temperamental.

The day before making the pie, zest and thinly slice the lemons in abowl, layering with sugar to macerate overnight.

I just fold the crust under itself on the edge for a smooth finish and then use a cookie cutter on the folded top crust to create steam holes.

I call Shaker Lemon Pie a very adult pie. It’s somewhat sweet, but there’s a nice sharpness to it as well, thanks to the rinds being left on the lemon. It’s exceptional, and a pie I make each holiday season.

Shaker Lemon Pie Recipe from Saveur

MAKES ONE 9″ PIE

FOR THE FILLING:
2 large lemons
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 tbsp. butter, melted
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

FOR THE CRUST:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
10 tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
2 tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening

1. For the filling: Thoroughly wash lemons, then dry with paper towel. Finely grate lemon zest into a bowl. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice lemons very thin; remove and discard seeds. Add slices to zest and toss with sugar and salt. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 24 hours. (TC: I even canned this mixture sometimes for later use, if I have a lot of lemons to use.)

2. For the crust: Sift flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or 2 table knives to work butter and shortening into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle in up to 5 tbsp. ice water, stirring dough with a fork until it just begins to hold together. Press dough firmly into a rough ball, then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Give the dough several kneads with the heel of your hand to form it into a smooth ball. Divide dough into 2 balls, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk eggs in bowl until frothy. Add butter and flour, whisking until smooth. Stir into lemon mixture.

4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into two 12″ rounds. Fit one round into a 9″ pie plate and pour in filling. Cover pie with remaining pastry round. Fold edges of dough under, then crimp edges. Cut steam vents in top crust. Bake until edges begin to brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake until crust is golden brown, 25–30 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

The recipe and article were first published in Saveur in Issue #50

What I was blogging about a year ago: The Spirit of Christmas Drives a Pickup

Got Lemons? It’s Easy to Grow Your Own Tree

Growing Fruit

Tom

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December 19, 2009

18

Got Lemons? It’s Easy to Grow Your Own Tree

After a week of record breaking low temperatures outside, I enjoyed some much needed sunshine inside in the form of a handful of fresh lemons and limes, courtesy of the potted trees in my dining room and study. I’ve been growing citrus trees for about ten years in a climate better suited for ferns than Florida’s finest, and I’m here to tell you it’s not really that difficult. Here are my tips for growing citrus in a crummy climate (crummy in the tree’s eye, not mine).

Tips for Growing a Citrus Tree in a Pots

Lemon and lime trees are easier to grow (for me at least)
Preferred varieties: Meyer lemon and Bearss lime
Oranges (Mandarin, Satsuma, Navel) require greater growing care
Oranges seem more susceptible to pests like spider mites and white fly
Oranges have the most heady fragrance
Oranges rarely produce fruit for me
Pick a large enough pot, at least 14″ diameter, and depth
Use high quality potting soil, and time release fertilizer (osmocote)
Bring indoors before first frost
Place in front of sunniest windows
Rotate pot weekly, so back becomes front
Water when soil dries out
Keep deep saucer under pot
Prune out dead branches (encourages new growth)
Place outdoors after last frost
Needs at least 5-6 hours of good sunlight
Keep it watered well outdoors
If leaves turn yellow, add liquid fertilizer

My Meyer Lemons usually ripened around Christmas, a time when Shaker Lemon Pie is on the menu.

When the fear of frost has left the garden, I lug the potted citrus trees outside to their sunny vacation spots. (I recommend a dolly as the trees get bigger and the gardener gets older.)

Some other things to consider.

By the end of some winters, the trees can look bad, about a leaf drop away from the compost pile. At that point I’m ready to take them outside where they recover nicely.
I’ve had some trees turn yellow and drop their leaves completely. They may look dead, but they’re not. Surprisingly, the trees rebound and bring on new foilage in due time, especially when at the end of winter taken back outside.
Start out with just one tree and give it a try. I really have too many now (1 Mandarin orange, 1 Navel orange, 2 Meyer lemons and 1 Bearss lime). I’m tripping over trees in my house in the winter months.
It’s okay to buy a small tree, as they grow quickly and you can prune them to desired height. I keep mine from 3-5 feet.
Where to buy? During the summer months I’ve found Home Depot stocks them in small growing tubes in their garden centers. I’ve also purchased a favorite online source: Peaceful Valley Organics. In addition, your local full-service nursery will likely stock them as a novelty plant (for northern gardeners).

Boz shares the fleeting rays of a late autumn day with my little Mandarin orange tree.

This is a gussied-up holiday version of Shaker Lemon Pie (one of my favorites). You use the entire lemon, rind and all, making for a unique marriage of flavors. It’s a pie I can relate to: sweet, sour, buttery and flaky.

What I was blogging about one year ago: A Winter Guest Is Obliged to Stay.

When Christmas Came to Vashon Island

Tom

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December 5, 2009

14

Angel Gabriel ornament — An angel in last year’s tree inspiring this year’s intentions.

Living on an island has its challenges, but it also has its rewards, revealing special moments that speak to the kinship of isolation and the camaraderie of everyone being in (and on) the same boat.

While commuting by ferry creates bottlenecks and headaches daily, it also fosters a bond, an unspoken appreciation that someone else shares your daily roundtrip odyssey. The smiles and nods to familiar strangers, one day makes them friends. So tonight when I returned to the island from a very long day in a less-welcoming place, I stood on the bow well before we reached Vashon. I savored that simple joy of returning home. The wind was bracing, the sky spun with gold, and the Olympic Mountains seized the horizon and my attention.

On the open car deck, Christmas trees topped a number of vehicles. One Jeep sported a wreath on its grille, the kids behind its steamed-up windows singing spirited renditions of the season’s best (between punches). I smiled; their parents smiled. The choir continued the concert.

With the din of the ferry silenced, we docked and I disembarked, walking more than briskly toward the warm, waiting bus. A stream of cars sped off the ferry and then one honked. I turned in time to see Santa in an SUV giving us a wave. I returned a smile and hearty hat tip.

Christmas had come to Vashon. I just had no idea we’d share the same ferry.

Findling light — Finding light in the season…

Pecans From Home: A Delicious Tradition

Tom

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December 3, 2009

12

fresh pecans on the left, store-bought on the right — Fresh pecans (Mascot Pecan Co.) on the left, store-bought on the right

This year’s pecans had arrived! There they were in a parcel post wedged in my mailbox like too big a zeppelin in too small a hanger. I was grateful for my mail carrier’s determination to make it fit and in doing so, keeping a trip to the Post Office off of my to-do list. (I see Pecan Sandies in her future.)

As I ripped through the box flaps with the edge of my truck key, I marveled at just how much my Mom could get in one fixed-rate postage parcel. Inside, the bars of gold, uh, I mean bags of pecans glistened, their peek-a-boo cellophane windows teasing me with a view of the precious gems inside.

blog_bagged_pecans

Every year my Mom and Dad’s church sells premium Georgia pecans as a fundraiser. (I think my Mom alone buys half the shipment.) Lucky for me their generosity always finds its way to Pacific Northwest. Enjoying freshly-shelled pecans, it’s a tradition this time of year that’s like a hug from home. And for a man who could eat his weight in pecan pie, it’s a gift that may make it harder to hug me in the months to come. Thanks Mom and Dad!

From bags to pie in record time! — From a bag to a pie in record time!

What I was blogging about a year ago: Planting Perfume and Memories: Fragrant Plants You Won’t Forget

A Taste for Turkey and Dog-Show Justice

Boz & Gracie

Tom

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November 28, 2009

5

Boz_Gracie_couch — Vindication can take a lot out of you.

Yesterday was a big day for Boz and Gracie. Sure they had dollops of dressing and gravy chasers to indulge in, but their T-Day treats were spiced with a little something extra: triumph. Last Thanksgiving Day, they were inconsolable when the National Dog Show judges slighted their breed,the bulldog, choosing the Lhaso Apso as best breed of the non-sporting group. But yesterday, the bulldog Razzle Dazzle took back the title for his beefy brethren. So as you can see in the photo above, Boz and Gracie are each as smug as a bug in a rug, sleeping off the treats and the even sweeter taste of victory.

Last year’s day after: Bulldogs Bothered and Bewildered, Dust Mop Takes Non-Sporting Group